Newspaper vending machine



N'GTQN 2,968,422

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 17, 1961 L. s. wA;rLI

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1960 Y Jan- 17 1961 L. s` wA'rLlNGToN NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE s sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1960 JNVENToR. 5E 6. l/lfln/A/ero/v BY r /f/lS A' MRA/.sys-

Jan. 17, 1961 Filed March 18, 1960 L. S. WATLINGTON NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. E5 5. l/l//vz//VGTo/V ///.5 Awww/EVS,

p 2,968,422 NEWSPAPER vENDlNG MACHINE Lee S. Watlington, 1204 N. Linden St., Bloomington, Ill.

FiledMar. 18, 1960, ser. No. 15,923

3 claims. (c1. azi- 194) vMy invention relates toa-new andusefulimprovement :inza newspaper vending machine and An'loreparticularly to a. vending machine for vending newspapers one at a time upon actuation of a vendingdoor of such machlne.

An object of my invention is in the provision in a machine of this character of a manually operated means for vending newspapers. n

, Another object of my invention is in the provision 1n a-machine of this character of ameans for vending a .single newspaper from a magazine of vertically stacked newspapers. t

@Al further'object of my invention is in the provision ina machine ofthis character of an arrangement of parts h.for advancing the follower of the magazine into a paper t stackA supporting position 4with respect tothe remaining newspapers in the magazine-after each vending operation of the machine.

Yet another object of my invention -is in the provision in a machine of this character of an arrangement of parts for retracting the newspaper follower from its stack supporting position with respect to thenewspapers in the magazine during the vending operation thereof.

yOther objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the novel comoination and ,arrangement of parts to be hereinafter describedwand claimed.

.The-invention will be best understoodby reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form A.of construction, and in which:

fFig. l--is a perspective view ofthe cabinet in which Imy .vending machine is contained;

.-Eig. 2 isa -side elevational detailed sectional View taken on line `2---2` of Fig. 6

Fig. 3 isa sideA elevational detailed sectional view taken `online 3 3 of rFig. ,6;

.aF-ig. 14 is,a.fragmentary perspective view of the'rear sprocket wheel retractingy mechanismV as f associated with mymachine;

Fig. 5 -is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig.

4 v but showing the .parts in actuated retracting position; .and f Fig. v6` is a top plan view oflthe interior of the'cabinet Vof-my vendingmachine.

.Mytinvention relates to a newspaper vending machine fand' comprises a cabinet 10 :having -aflocked hinged cover 11 and 'afront wall 12. The front wall'12 has'formed therein a discharge opening 13 through whichthe news- 1 papers, are vended. A hinged door 14 normally closes t, the opening"` 13 andsin a manner hereinafter described is in- -strumentalin actuating the vending operation of my vendwing machine.

Wall 15 anda -top linger grip16. The back wall 15 terminates-into laterally extending end wing plates-17 which farepivotally.connected.as at 18 to endLplates 19 provided .by the front wall 12 at either-end of the opening-13. The `arrangement yis such that the door 14 is mounted for ,pivotal `movement about a` horizontalaxis Yin an anti- `tclockwisedirection asY seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The open- Thedoor, 14 comprises'an arcuated back 70.be guided .by thetracks 38.

newspaper in the magazine'i.e..the'.paper ,that is.iin.abut

2,968,422 Patented Jan. 17, 15-)61 ing 13 has .extending .therein in front` of the door 14 a "stationary dischargeplate 20 extending between the-end wingv plates 17 ofthe door l14 and over which the news- .papers pass when vended.

Within the cabinet 10 there is provided a newspaper magazine consisting of a front retaining wall 21, Yside walls 22 and 23 and a movable follower 24. Extending rearwardly from the front retaining wall 21 and in.a lower horizontal pl-ane'with respect thereto is a series of spaced apart parallellyextending paper supporting-tracks 25. The movable follower 24 is adapted to pass over the tracks 25 as it is moved relative y.to the front retaining wall 21 in a manner hereinafter described.

Thezfront retaining wall l2.1v provides a downwardly .inclined chute 26v which extends in the direction of fthe .opening 13between'the end plates 19 and terminates rear- .wardly of the door `14 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

VBeneath and beyond the outermost tracks `25 is a pair of spaced apart parallelly. extending supporting members 27. "Connecting 4the opposite correspondingends ofthe `supporting members 27 'is a pair of' rotatably carried shafts 28 and 29. The :shaft 28 is so disposed as to extend ina spaced parallel direction with respect to the ifront retaining wall 21. .The shaft 28 on opposite ends thereof rotatably` carries sprocket wheels 30. The shaft 29 Vrotatably carries on opposite `endsthereof a retracting mechanism 31. This retracting mechanism 31 includes as aV `part thereof sprocket wheels v32. -Adapted to be passed in one direction towardthestationary front retaining wall 21.

As viewed in Figs. Zand 3 there are'provided adjacent either end of the front retaining wall 21 supporting plates 37. These supporting plates 37 have onltheirouter surfaces actuated tracks 38. Track followers 39'which are carried by apair of vertically extending paper ejector members 40 are caused in a manner hereinafter described to ride upon and be guided by-said tracksr,

The vending mechanism of my machine includes` a rocker shaft 41 journalled between the side walls-22 and 23. This rocker shaft 41 is connected by linkage 421t0 vdepending'lugs 43 carried at each end of v.the doorr'14. -As the door 14,'is caused to pivot about its connection-18 the lugs 243 will lbe caused to move throughan arcuated p path and through the linkage 42 cause the rocker shaft to be rotated in the direction of the arrows as seen in Figs.V 2 and 3.

`The rocker shaft 41.by rods 44 is connected to la, pair of pivotal members 45. These members 45 have one end pivotally connected asl at 46 to stationary lugs v47 carried by the bottom wall of the cabinet `1|). The opposite end of each member 45 `is pivotally connected as at 48- to thebottom ends of the ejectingmembers-40. From'. the foregoing description it is readily apparent .that-asthe door 14 is opened the. rocker shaft 4l is caused to rotate inthe direction of the arrows as shown in Figs..2.andy 3 andV through the rods @twill cause the members 45 tofbe pivoted inthe direction of the arrow asQ seen in Fig.V 3 which in turn will cause the ejecting members 46 to move vertically. lSuch vertical movement ofthe ejecting lmermbers 40 will cause the track followers 39 to follow:D and Such movement :of the ejecting members 540 will cause the.forwardly positioned ting relation Vwith the front retaining\wa11-.'21,;togbe'raisd over and above the retaining wall 21 and be deposited on the chute 26 for gravitation thereover and out of the opening 13.

As the forwardly positioned newspaper is thus caused to be vended the flat coiled spring 35 will pull the follower 24 and chains 33 forward so as to compress the remaining newspapers in the magazine between the front retaining wall 21 and the follower 24.

In order for the ejecting members 40 to be able to easily raise and deposit the newspaper to be vended from the magazine it is desirous to relieve the compressing pressure upon the newspapers between the retaining wall 21 and the follower 24. In order to relieve this pressure I include as a part of the vending operation a follower retracting mechanism 31.

The follower retracting mechanism 31 comprises discs 49 and 50 mounted on opposite ends of the shaft 29. Mounted on the shaft 29 between the supporting members 27 and the discs 49 and 50 are -ratchet w'heels 51 formed as an integral part of the sprocket wheels 32. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the discs 49 and 50 have pivotally connected to :the outer face thereof arms 52. These arms 52 have their free ends connected to vertically extending levers 53. These levers 53 are in turn connected to the pivotal members 45. Mounted on the peripheral edge of each of the discs 49 and 50 is a block housing 54. Each of the block housings 54 pivotally carry pawls 55. These pawls are normally urged in one direction toward the ratchet wheels 51 by means of springs 56.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the supporting members 27 have mounted on the outer face thereof a mounting block 57 which in turn supports cam levers 58. The cam levers are so positioned with respect to the ratchet wheels 51 and the pivotally carried pawls 55 that when these parts are in their normal positions the cam levers 58 will pivot the pawls 55 against the action of the springs 56 4into a position where it will be out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 51.

The arrangement of the parts of the retracting mechanism 31 is such that as the pivotal members 45 are caused to be pivoted in a clockwise direction the discs 49 and 50 through the levers 53 and the arms 52 will be caused to rotate about the shaft 29 in a likewise direction. The rotation of the discs 49 yand 50 will cause the pawls 55 to move ot of the cam levers 58 and into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 51. Continued movement of the discs 49 and 50 will cause the ratchet wheels 51 and the sprocket wheels 32 to be rotated in the direction of the arrows as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Such rotation of the sprocket wheels 32 will cause the chains 33 to move in the direction of the rear of the cabinet 10 and carry with it the follower 24. Such retracting movement of the follower 24 is achieved simultaneously with the engagement of the ejecting members 40 with the forwardly positioned newspaper to be vended. As the pivotal members 45 are permitted to return to their normal position the discs 49 and 50 as well as the ratchet wheels 51 and sprocket wheels 32 will be permitted to rotate in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and thus return to their original position. The cam levers 58 will cause disengagement of the pawl 55 from the teeth of the ratchet wheels 51. The spring 35 will cause the follower 24 as well as the chains 33 to move forward a distance equal to the space emptied by the vended newspaper. From the foregoing it is evident that I have provided a follower 24 which will support the stacked newspapers in a compressed relation with respect to the front retaining wall 21 and which follower 24 during the operation of the vending mechanism will be caused to be retracted to release a single newspaper so that it may be easily vended.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without `departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore,

do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations ad modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A vending machine comprising a housing adapted to receive vertically related horizontally extending stacked papers to be vended, said housing having a discharge opening formed in one vertical wall thereof, a pivotal door for said opening, a paper magazine in said housing including paper supporting tracks terminating at one end into a raised retaining wall extending in a longitudinal parallel direction with respect to said door and providing a discharge chute downwardly inclined with respect to said opening, a movable follower adapted to be moved over said tracks in one direction so as to press in supporting relation against said retaining wall the papers to be vended, means for movably supporting said follower within said housing, means for moving said follower in said one direction over said tracks, a rocker shaft operatively connected to said door so as to be rotated in one direction when said door is pivoted to expose said opening in said housing, means for operatively connecting said shaft to said door, a pivotal member connected to said rocker shaft and pivoted in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of said rocker shaft when said rocker shaft is rotated in said one direction, means carried by one end of said pivotal member and movable into engagement with a folded edge of a paper to be vended and for raising the same over and above said retaining wall for gravitation down said chute and out of said exposed opening, and a retracting mechanism for moving said follower a limited distance away from paper pressing relation with said retaining wall, said rctracting mechanism including a rotatable ratchet wheel and pawl operatively connected together for moving said follower in a retracting direction with respect to said follower moving means upon pivotal movement of said pivotal member in said opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of said rocker shaft so as to release the papers in said magazine from pressed condition against said retaining walls as said paper engaging means are caused to be actuated so as to vend a paper from said machine.

2. A vending machine comprising a housing adapted to receive vertically related horizontally extending stacked papers to be vended, said housing having a discharge opening formed in one vertical wall thereof, a pivotal door for said opening, a paper magazine in said housing including paper supporting tracks terminating at one end into a raised retaining wall extending in a longitudinal parallel direction with respect to said door and providing a discharge chute downwardly inclined with respect to said opening, a movable follower adapted to be moved over said tracks in one direction so as to press in supporting relation against said retaining wall the papers to be vended, means for movably supporting said follower Within said housing, said movable supporting means for said follower including a pair of spaced apart endless chains rotatable over corresponding spaced apart sprocket wheels, means for moving said follower in said one direction over said tracks, a rocker shaft operatively connected to said door so as to be rotated in one direction when said door is pivoted to expose said opening in said housing, means for operatively connecting said shaft to said door, a pivotal member connected to said rocker shaft and pivoted in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of said rocker shaft when said rocker shaft is rotated in said one direction, means carried by one end of said pivotal member and movable into engagement with a folded edge of a paper to be vended and for raising the same over and above said retaining wall for gravitation down said chute and out of said exposed opening, and means connected to and movable by said pivotal member for retracting said follower a limited distance away from paper pressing relation with said retaining wall as said paper engaging means are caused to be actuated so as to vend a paper from said machine.

3. A vending machine comprising a housing adapted to receive vertically related horizontally extending stacked papers to be vended, said housing having a discharge opening formed in one vertical wall thereof, a pivotal door for said opening, a paper magazine in said housing including paper supporting tracks terminating at one end into a raised retaining wall extending in a longitudinal parallel direction with respect to said door and providing a discharge chute downwardly inclined with respect to said opening, a movable follower adapted to be moved over said tracks in one direction so as to press in supporting relation against said retaining wall the papers to be vended, means for movably supporting said follower within said housing, said movable supporting means for said follower including a pair of spaced apart endless chains rotatable over corresponding spaced apart sprocket wheels, means for moving said follower in said one direction over said tracks, a rocker shaft operatively connected to said door so as to be rotated in one direction when said door is pivoted to expose said opening in said housing, means for operatively connecting said shaft to said door, a pivotal member connected to said rocker shaft and pivoted in an opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of said rocker shaft when said rocker shaft is rotated in said one direction, means carried by one end of said pivotal member and movable into engagement with a folded edge of a paper to be vended and for raising the same over and above said retaining wall for gravitation down said chute and out of said exposed opening, means connected to and movable by said pivot member for retracting said follower a limited distance away from paper pressing relation with said retaining wall as said paper engaging means are caused to be actuated so as to vend a paper from said machine, and means for guiding said paper engaging means in a predetermined direction with respect to said retaining wall as said paper engaging means raises the paper to be vended over and above said retaining Wall for gravitation down said chute and out of said exposed opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

